The Royal Wedding
by Laelia Lacrimo
Summary: It was only to be expected, Cassandra and Horace's wedding. We were all just waiting for the announcement. And now it's here. But where did Horace and Will go?


_"Hear ye, hear ye! You are hereby invited to the royal wedding of Princess Cassandra and Sir Horace."_

_It was only to be expected, Cassandra and Horace's wedding. We were all just waiting for the announcement. And now it's here. Cassandra, in her lovely gown, as white as the plummage of a swan. Horace, looking positively dapper in his formal knight's apparel. It's about to start... But where's Horace and Will?_

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><p>Cassandra peeked into the Great Hall. The long tables of oak, typically adorned with the boring nobles, were filled with the people of Araluen. Everyone was dressed for the occasion, even the children, eager to bear witness to the royal wedding. The grand chandelier overhead guarded the people with the warmth of all it's flickering candles. Cassandra smiled briefly at the memory of all the maids and servents it had taken to first get the chandelier <em>down,<em> then the lighting of the hundred or so of the candles.

The Great Hall of Castle Araluen was typically used to host feasts and royal events, including balls for foreign nobles to assemble, gatherings of the extended royal family… And, in this case, the marriage of Princess Cassandra of Araluen and Knight Horace of the Royal Guard.

All the groomsmen were assembled in an orderly line at the front of the guests; all were dressed in their finery. Cassandra examined the row of groomsmen, in a rush of bridal frenzy.

Halt was there, looking very uncomfortable. Gilan was there, standing beside Halt and making Halt look smaller than usual. George the scribe was there, smiling very broadly.

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><p>Halt was shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other in his official Ranger's garb. Before Will had left in a hurry to find Horace, the attention had been equally divided among the three of them. Now, all attention was glued to the short Ranger of legend. Halt felt all of the people's eyes on him. Halt could tell - the people weren't especially discreet with the pointing, glancing, and whispering behind hands.<p>

Never before had Halt been the center of attention for such an extended period of time. He wished that he could just disappear into his cloak.

* * *

><p>Will found Horace in the kitchens, gorging himself on pie. Horace was an unseemly shade of green, yet he continued to shovel the food right into his mouth. Jenny was hovering over the young knight. Though Horace was swallowing down her painstakingly-made pies, Jenny was attempting to console him in a hushed tone.<p>

"Oh Horace, it'll be fine," Jenny patted Horace's back with one hand, a freshly baked pie balanced delicately in her other hand. She eyed the other pie in Horace's hands.

"I… I can't do this." Horace gulped, between a particularly large bite. "I… What if I mess up? What if I freeze at the 'I do's'? What if- what if Cassandra changes her mind? Realizes that she's making a mistake?" Horace turned a bright shade of emerald, and Jenny quickly threw a bucket in front of him, which he retched into.

Will, quickly assessing the scene before him, waited until Horace was done being sick, then went to Horace's side.

"Do you love each other?"

"Wh-what?" Horace said, startled from Will's sudden appearance. Jenny, realizing that Will would be able to quell Horace's pre-wedding nerves, left to continue the wedding feast's preparation.

"_Do you and Cassandra love each other?_" Horace stared at Will, uncomprehending.

"Of course I do," Horace answered in disbelief at Will's question.

"Then," Will concluded, "there won't be any problems."

Horace stayed still for a moment, a frozen figure that gradually returned to it's normal colouring.

"I suppose you're right, Will," Horace said slowly, putting down the nearly finished pie on the nearest platter. Will nodded, and hurried out back to the Great Hall to assume his position, lest Cassandra begin to panic. After a moment, Horace gathered himself, took a deep breath, and re-entered the Great Hall.

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><p>"Where is Will? And Horace?" Cassandra asked Alyss in full-on bridal hysteria.<p>

Alyss stopped adjusting the braided bun on her head and glanced at Cassandra's distraught face. "I would not know… Maybe they just stepped out for a bit?" Alyss suggested, though she had inner thoughts about that. She knew both the missing men well enough to realize that though Will had a tendency to do that _occasionally_, is was odd for Horace to do such a thing.

Cassandra's paled, as she realized this too, and hurried off to peer into the Great Hall again, her snowy gown trailing in agitation. As she looked into the crowded hall again, Will whispered something to Halt, then settled back into place. Not long afterward, Horace returned as well, looking incredibly handsome. Cassandra noted Horace's return, and she felt her heart nearly skip a beat as she gazed at her soon-to-be husband. _I love Horace_, Cassandra thought, her chest brimming with a fluttering joy.

"Are you ready, Cassie?" Cassandra turned around to meet her father's steady, yet small, smile. Her father's sharp green eyes looked at her expectantly. _How soon,_ Duncan thought, _that Cassie has grown up…_

Realizing that she had been smiling to herself as she had been taking in Horace, Cassandra beamed, feeling her insides soar at the sudden comprehension that today was her day. Princess Cassandra of Araluen, daughter of King Duncan, would be married in but a minute.

Duncan, understanding his beloved daughter's silent reply, looped his arm to Cassandra's. He was trembling. He was going to give his little girl to his soon-to-be son-in-law. Undoubtedly, Horace would take care of Cassandra. Horace loved Cassandra, Duncan reminded himself. He took on last look at his daughter, radiant in a lovely fair gown.

Green eyes looked into green eyes, a silent agreement passing through the two pairs.

And Princess Cassandra, with all the brilliance of one in love, and her father escorting her, strode down to meet Horace.

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><p><em>Rather short, I know. (I'm out of practice!) The idea had hit me in the head like a pie thrown with full force, and I thought that I might as well put this up. Reviews are welcome! :)<em>

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Ranger's Apprentice._


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